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LOWELL
Middle Fork Willamette River
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T19S-R1W-Sec23
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1907 - 1945 & 1945 - Present
May 23, 1907: "Roy Addington, while returning from 'Pine Openings' Saturday, came near being drowned while fording the river at the Lowell crossing. Logs have jammed below the ford and have caused a great deal of back water. Roy got into swimming water and in some way the wagon overturned, holding him under the box. Only by great presence of mind and clever diving was he able to escape. A good bridge is badly needed at this point. If the honorable county court of Lane county cannot see fit to give us a bridge they might at least be liberal enough to give us a good ferryboat and ferryman." (The Eugene Daily Guard)
July 29, 1907: "The county commissioners' court met in special session this morning for the purpose of opening the bids for the construction of the county bridge across the Willamette river at Lowell. There was only one bid, that of L.N. Roney, and the contract was let to him, the bond being signed this afternoon. Mr. Roney's bid was $6295. He will at once begin the work on the structure, and will have it finished before the fall rains set in. The bridge will be a covered wooden structure of the Howe truss design, and located about half a mile above the old ferry which has been the only means of crossing the river at that point for many years." (The Eugene Guard)
October 8, 1907: "The bridge across the Middle fork at Lowell is pushed rapidly along. Teamsters are hauling the chord sticks now and most all the other timbers have been delivered." (Morning Register)
October 19, 1907: "L.N. Roney returned last night from Portland, where he went to look after the shipment of the remainder of the irons for the Lowell bridge. Only half of them were sent in the first shipment, and it became necessary for him to go to Portland to hurry up the rest." (The Eugene Guard)
October 22, 1907: "The bridge is going in as fast as 12 men can put it together. The lower stringers are in place and the frame work is done. The irons are on the ground and in a very short time we will have a bridge. We will have a stage line from Eugene to Lowell by way of Pleasant Hill, making the distance shorter and much better road to travel." (Morning Register)
October 29, 1907: "The county wagon bridge across the Willamette river at Lowell has been completed and Contractor L.N. Roney and his force of men have returned to Eugene. The bridge is said to be one of the best in the county, and will be a great convenience to the people residing along the upper river. Heretofore they have been compelled to cross the river on a ferry boat and half the time during the winter months the ferry has been out of commission on account of high water and travelers have had to go many miles out of their way to cross the river." (The Eugene Daily Guard)
November 11, 1920: "The bridge over the Willamette near Lowell has recently been repaired and strengthened until now it is safe for all kinds of traffic. Heavy motor truck travel during the summer had weakened the structure." (The Springfield News)
May 17, 1921: "The county bridge repair crew has moved from Dexter to Lowell within the past few days. They will repair the roof of the big covered bridge and many other smaller ones in the vicinity." (The Eugene Guard)
February 24, 1927: "Repair work on the Lowell bridge is nearing completion and it is planned to open the span to traffic today, according to A.C. Striker, county bridge superintendent." (The Eugene Guard)
February 27, 1929: "Repair work on the roof and approaches of the Lowell bridge will be started by the county bridge crews, says A.C. Striker, county bridge superintendent." (Morning Register)
September 13, 1929: "A large fill is to be put in between the Lowell bridge and the town of Lowell on the Willamette river, improving conditions at that point in the winter time, according to County Commissioner O.E. Crowe, who was at Lowell yesterday making plans for the work."
The section just beyond the approach to the bridge is low and is in bad shape in winter, Mr. Crowe said. A 2500 yard fill is planned." (Eugene Register)
November 5, 1933: "The Lowell bridge across the Willamette will have to undergo repairs to a considerable extent, according to P.M. Morse, county engineer, who with Arthur Striker, county bridge foreman, inspected the span Saturday. Work will be started in a few days." (The Eugene Register-Guard)
December 1, 1940: "The roof of Lowell bridge is being torn off by workmen. It is expected that a new bridge will replace the old one some time next year." (The Register-Guard)
October 11, 1942: "The county bridge over the Willamette river at Lowell will be strengthened by the building of a bent under each and out from the banks of the stream, County Commissioner Allen P. Wheeler said Saturday.
The bridge has been in bad shape for some time past and it was planned to rebuild it, but the county is unable to obtain lumber. While the improvements will somewhat reduce the danger of collapse, it is necessary to restrict the loads passing over the span. For a long time past heavy loads of logs have been hauled over it." (The Register-Guard)
October 23, 1942: "The county bridge crew is placing temporary piers under the Lowell bridge across the Willamette river to carry the span over until 1943 when it is planned to rebuild it. The state highway department is preparing the plans for the new bridge." (The Register-Guard)
December 8, 1944: "The Lowell bridge will be closed permanently to all traffic, it was announced Friday by County Judge Clinton Hurd. The bridge has already been barricaded and an official notice will be issued immediately, the judge said.
The bridge was badly damaged a few days ago when a load of logs rolled off a truck. State Highway Engineer Stevenson examined the span Thursday, in company with county officials, and declared it to be unsafe for even the lightest traffic.
A new bridge will be built as soon as possible. The work cannot very well be done in the winter time as it is necessary to put in false work and the least freshet in the river would take it out. The piers will probably be put in during the winter, county officials said.
The Lowell bridge, built in 1907, is of the old covered-span type. It connects Lowell and vicinity with the Willamette highway. The nearest route from the town to the highway now will be by way of the bridge at Jasper." (The Eugene Guard)
December 12, 1944: "The old bridge across the Willamette river near Lowell, recently condemned and closed to traffic, will be used as a foot-bridge, it has been decided by the county court. Bents will be placed beneath the structure to strengthen it and this will permit use by foot passengers, but no vehicle traffic will be allowed upon it. This will be a great accommodation to many people living in that section, especially school children.
The new bridge which the county court is planning to build as soon as danger of high water is over will be located a few feet below the old one." (Eugene Register-Guard)
September 13, 1945: "Permission of the Lane county court has given the state highway commission to grant over-height permits in order that loads that cannot pass beneath the S.P. track at the under-pass crossing between Eugene and Goshen may be taken over the new county bridge at Lowell.
The height of the under-pass south of Eugene is only 12 feet and occasionally a truck comes along with a load higher than that. When this happens the loads have to be taken on a detour and the Lowell bride will be used, such loads to be hauled through Springfield and Jasper. The Lowell bridge has a clearance of 16 feet, six inches." (The Eugene Guard)
November 20, 1946: "P.M. Morse announced that work on the Lowell Bridge, where last winter's high water cut through the piling on the north approach, has been completed." (Eugene Register-Guard)
March 4, 1947: "Corrugated aluminum sheets instead of shingles have been used in reroofing two Lane County bridges and aluminum also is being considered for two more, it was disclosed Tuesday by A.C. Striker, county bridge superintendent.
Striker estimated that the cost of shingles and aluminum is about the same but said that labor cost of applying aluminum sheets is less because they are larger. He also reported difficulty in obtaining shingles. A saving on sheathing also is possible when aluminum is used, he said, because wider spaces can be left.
Aluminum was used in reroofing the Mosby Creek and Salt Creek bridges. It is being considered for the Lowell Bridge, which was rebuilt after a washout during a flood more than a year ago, and for the Salmon Creek Bridge above Oakridge.
Striker said materials have not been obtained yet for the sides and roof framework of the Lowell Bridge and he is investigating to determine whether a permit from the Civilian Production Administration will be necessary.
An uncovered wooden bridge, he said, has a life expectancy of about 15 years while covered bridges in Lane County have lasted well over 50 years. Considerable bridge repair and rebuilding has faced the county, both as a result of the last flood and because of heavy log truck traffic." (Eugene Register-Guard)
September 18, 1952: "The cost of Dexter Dam Project is still estimated at $12,743,000. This includes relocating Highway 58 from the dam to Lowell Bridge, raising the bridge about five feet, building a new access road into Lowell from the bridge across the reservoir by fills and trestles and raising a short distance of County Road 360.
The highway will be moved to higher ground immediately south from the shoulder of the present highway. Some of the residents to the south whose access roads will be cut will be told to move out by Mar. 15, 1953. Clearing for the road will be underway early this October and for the reservoir area up to Moss Street in Lowell.
Bids to build the highway will be opened in Portland Dec. 23 of this year and must be completed with top dressing before rains start about Oct., 1953." (The Eugene Guard)
July 8, 1953: "The Army Engineers Tuesday announced rejection of all bids for raising the Lowell Bridge and relocating roads in that area near Lowell.
Col. Thomas H. Lipscomb said the bids were more than 25 per cent higher than the government estimate of $108,352." (Herald and News)
July 5, 1957: "The covered bridge over the Willamette River at Lowell is closed to all heavy truck traffic pending repairs to supporting timbers, according to the County Board of Commissioners.
Commissioners said that log truck traffic has caused some of the timbers to split, requiring reinforcement. Bridge crews, they said, are now installing steel piling to strengthen the existing beams." (Eugene Register-Guard)